Opposition MP and TISI Sangam Fiji president Praveen Bala has called for national support following the desecration of the Shiv Mandir in Samabula, Suva.
Addressing Parliament on Monday, Mr Bala said the attack had caused deep emotional and spiritual pain across the Sanatan Dharam Hindu community.
“I echo the community’s condemnation and call for a meaningful, inclusive healing process,” he said.
He urged Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to allocate emergency funds through the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs or another suitable channel to restore the temple and replace the damaged sacred statues.
“This is not just any structure. The Shiv Mandir is a spiritual and historical landmark. It is where the Shree Sanatan Dharam Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji was founded in 1958, its origins stretching back to the 1920s, when our girmitiya ancestors first built a humble kuti in Samabula.
“It has since become a hub for worship, cultural expression, and national unity.”
Mr Bala also thanked the Commissioner of Police and his team for the swift arrest of the suspect.
